The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.
Wire retaining fence posts are typically limited to posts with a series of apertures provided through the post. Metal clips are employed to attach fence wire to fence posts. Once the fence wire is positioned against the post, a metal clip has one end fastened in a coil around the fence wire on one side of the post, then is drawn through the aperture of the post, and the other end of the metal clip is coiled around the fence wire on the other side of the post. This process is time consuming as it involves individual metal clips to be tied multiple times along each post, for each longitudinal wire of the fence. Additionally, the process also requires the installer to carry the load of metal clips.
Improved fence posts have replaced the clip wires with rigid clasps that are fed through the apertures and are moved to a locking position to retain the wire against the post. Whilst this design is quicker than coiling the wire, it remains time consuming and requires the installer to carry the load of rigid clasps.
Further fence post designs have attempted to reduce the time taken to attach the wire to the post and the user carrying a load of wire clasps by utilizing latching mechanisms on the post. These typically involve a channel in the side of the post which receives the wire, the latching mechanism is then engaged to retain the wire in position. Whilst the installation time is decreased, the multiple complex latching mechanisms required along the length of the post significantly increase the cost of producing the posts.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. The invention includes all such variation and modifications. The invention also includes all of the steps, features, formulations and compounds referred to or indicated in the specification, individually or collectively and any and all combinations or any two or more of the steps or features.
Any manufacturer's instructions, descriptions, product specifications, and product sheets for any products mentioned herein or in any document incorporated by reference herein, are hereby incorporated herein by reference, and may be employed in the practice of the invention.
The present invention is not to be limited in scope by any of the specific embodiments described herein. These embodiments are intended for the purpose of exemplification only. Functionally equivalent products, formulations and methods are clearly within the scope of the invention as described herein.
The invention described herein may include one or more range of values (e.g. size). A range of values will be understood to include all values within the range, including the values defining the range, and values adjacent to the range which lead to the same or substantially the same outcome as the values immediately adjacent to that value which defines the boundary to the range.
Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers